Storm Warning!
by DragoonG
Summary: Ever since their journey ended, both Kaiba and Tea have found something that they miss, be it the adventuring or Yami. Events that take place soon after just may change their feelings for each other for the better. Either that, or stormy weather's ahead!
1. Alone

Okay, so I know that this scenario has been done like a million times already, but I don't care! needs more Téa x Kaiba fanfics anyway (can there _ever _be enough?) This first chapter is boring, you'll see, mainly because it's just good ol' Kaiba. It'll get better later... I hope.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Gi Oh. **Resemblance to any other fanfic is purely coincidental.**

* * *

The clock on the wall of the executive office read precisely a quarter past one. A.m., of course.

Naturally, the many floors of the Kaiba Corp. headquarters were empty of its regular day employees, with the exception of a couple of janitors.

Although, strangely enough, anyone on the street beneath could look up and find the light in the office on the top floor still on, even in the dead of the night.

It could only mean one thing— multi-millionaire Seto Kaiba was working late, _again_.

"I want that report by tomorrow, Hadley, and I _will_ get it. Understand?" Kaiba said calmly into the phone. He was vaguely aware that his employee wasn't likely to be very happy being called up in the middle of the night, let alone to be informed of a project report's short deadline. Oh well, tough luck.

He was not sympathetic. Working under _the_ Seto Kaiba... they should expect such things.

Hadley, way on the other side of the line, was quickly shocked into alertness after having been woken up by the telephone. Although more than a little angry, he immediately pulled himself together after learning just who he was speaking to on the line.

But somehow, it just didn't feel right, talking to his boss now. Probably because he was still in bed at the moment.

T-Tomorrow, sir? He stammered, remarkably frightened. But it couldn't be!

"_Yes_, I do believe that is what I just said." Rolling his eyes, Kaiba continued. "If I don't have it on my desk by six in the morning... I doubt I need to continue to inform you of the consequences." As an afterthought, he added sternly, "Believe me, I'll be here waiting for it."

B-but, Mr. Kaiba! I only received this assignment last week! You can't expect me to—

"Hmm, remind me again what I pay you for?" Kaiba asked, coldly enough to freeze blood. "To _work_. I don't abide by those who can't keep up in _my_ company. I set deadlines if and when they suit me. If you have any objections, turn in your resignation tomorrow instead."

Please, sir, give me at least three more days! I swear I'll have it done by then!

"Unfortunately for you... That's three days too late. Have a pleasant night, Hadley." Kaiba pressed a button on the machine and the line was cut off instantly.

Hadley fumed when he realized that Kaiba Corp's obnoxious CEO had hung up on him. The _nerve _of that–! Why, he wasn't even a grown man yet and there he was strutting around and giving out ridiculous orders! Muttering curses, Hadley banged the phone back into its receiver.

Then, the reality of the situation sank in.

"Oh man... I guess I can consider this job gone," he groaned, flopping back on his pillow. There was no point in trying to finish that dumb report; he'd never be done on time. "When I wake up, I'm printing that resignation letter..."

That's right, Hadley already had a typed up letter all ready to be turned in. Heck, he knew that someday he wouldn't be able to stand it anymore and just quit.

Working for Mr. Kaiba had been the worst year of his life. Seemingly impossible tasks... Calls at odd times... One demand after another... Reprimands and threats at the slightest error... And then there were those _glares_ that he kept shooting to everyone...

"Why the hell did I even take up this job?" Hadley cursed himself for his poor foresight. "Gah! It's always that damned Kaiba! He's not human; he's a _demon_!" Tearing at his short brown hair in anger, the young man realized that sleeping tonight was not an option.

Getting out of bed and heading towards his computer in his study, Hadley mumbled darkly, "I've tried to put up with his nonsense, but this is too much! I don't see how anyone can stand working for him."

His computer booted up quickly, and Hadley sat down and reviewed his resignation letter. It had to be perfect. Why, this was what he had wanted to do ever since he joined the company and met Mr. Kaiba– Quit!

"Someday, he'll get his just desserts. What goes around, comes around. _Then_ we'll see who's laughing."

Good riddance to this lousy job. Yes, Hadley would stomp into Kaiba's office first thing the next morning, slam the letter on his desk, and then shout those glorious words, "I _quit_!"

He played the scenario in his mind, and gloomily found one major loophole. Kaiba would probably only stare at the letter and then let his icy blue eyes travel ever so slowly to his victim's face. Hadley knew Mr Kaiba well enough to know that the insufferable CEO would say, with utmost calmness and hostility, "Then get out of here."

Ohhh... How he hated that man! How could a _teenager_ be so evil?

Kaiba sat looking at the phone for a while as he pondered what to do next. With amusement, he noted that he would probably have to face yet another enraged employee about to quit sometime soon. Hadley was clearly at the point of snapping.

Of course, it did neither one of them good should Hadley really barge in and throw a fit.

Kaiba would be forced to make sure that he didn't find any other jobs in the city, and Hadley would either be forced to move elsewhere or be content being a janitor sweeping up a school or something.

Sighing, Kaiba lamented that it was so troublesome having to prove to former subordinates that even after leaving his company, they were not going to have an easy time. Somehow they all seemed to think that he was seem evil being whom they could escape simply by quitting...

_I wonder why..._ He thought, dryly. But they always did learn the hard way.

On a less sardonic note, Kaiba's mind drifted finally to the time. _It's past one. Mokuba should be asleep by now. _Normally the younger Kaiba would be with his brother in that very office, but since it had been growing late, Mokuba had been sent home by their chauffeur.

For all his lack of parenting skills, Kaiba knew that insufficient sleep was _not_ healthy for a child. He wouldn't be exaggerating if he said that Mokuba was the only person who meant anything to him at all, that's why he had insisted on Mokuba's leaving despite fierce protests.

His work was done, and it was only an hour past midnight. Such an easy day it had been...

Kaiba considered going back to the Kaiba mansion, but decided against it, as logically speaking, it wasn't necessary. The office was as good a sleeping place as his bedroom. But Kaiba had no intention of sleeping yet.

Spinning his chair around to face the window, Kaiba crossed his arms and his face set into its regular frown. Such a storm was brewing outside... Obviously, he wouldn't be able to go home if even he had wanted to.

How... strange that this storm reminded him of duel monsters. But wasn't it true that every time an Egyptian God appeared, the skies turned dark? Predictable. Still, Kaiba had never really learnt just how it was accomplished. No _card_ could have that much power.

Heart of the Cards... Rubbish. It was a card game, for heaven's sake! Nothing more.

Staring directly ahead, Kaiba took in his own reflection. President of Kaiba Corp. _Former_ duel monsters champion, which he resented. He smirked as he met his own infamous blue eyes. Was it a coincidence that his favorite card was the Blue Eyes White Dragon?

See. Everything... Everything always led back to duel monsters. Maybe that wasn't really so bad, after all, the card game was what his business was all about. No, the problem was that he'd be reminded about Yugi.

_Come to think of it, I haven't heard from that shrimp and his Geek Squad in a while... Good. I like it that way. _He thought with no particular urge to see them again. If anything, he was relieved. Leaning back, Kaiba closed his eyes.

Things were back to normal. No more ancient magic hocus-pocus. No more saving the world. No more 'it's your destiny' crap, but best of all, no more speeches on _friendship_ or the _heart of the cards_. Things were definitely looking up.

A sudden crack of thunder caused Kaiba's eyes to snap open, half expecting to see some lunatic who intended to force him into a duel where the loser lost his soul. That certainly wouldn't be anything new.

But of course, there was no one there. He groaned when he realized what was happening.

_No... All that time around those geeks made _me_ paranoid too. Great, just great. Next thing you know, I'll be as nutty as Pegasus. _

Turning back to his desk, Kaiba opened his laptop. Something had to be done about his... condition. No way was _he_ turning into a nutcase. "All right," Kaiba said to himself as he accessed the program. He paused suddenly.

How exactly were you supposed to begin a journal entry?

_Scratch that. I'm writing a record that no one but me's going to read... I'll do it whatever way _I_ like it. _So, he started typing abruptly with no beginning.

What is wrong with me? I should be rejoicing now that there aren't any pesky problems coming my way, but I'm not. It's perplexing, and I'm not in the least keen to remain this way. For once, this is something that I fail to understand.

I intend to get to the bottom of this.

Or perhaps I do already know the answer to my inquiry. I shudder to imagine if _that_ was truly the cause. Could it be that I'm not used to regular everyday business anymore? It's a feasible explanation. Tasks that used to be somewhat enjoyable are becoming frightfully dull and monotonous.

In addition, Mokuba is little comfort to me. He still remains with me during the day, but lately, he has made a new friend from school, I believe. By _no_ means am I jealous, but somehow, I feel as though there is something missing. As if adventure had become an important part of my life without me knowing it.

I'm sick of it. This needs to change with immediate effect.

Kaiba lifted his fingers from the keyboard and reread what he had just typed. It made little sense. Everything pointed in one direction– He was _bored_ and feeling _redundant_. Utter nonsense. How could Seto Kaiba, of all people, be subject to those worthless emotions?

_I'm not a psychiatrist, how would I know what the hell's wrong! _

Almost in response to his mental rant, another thought surfaced. _You're in denial... Get a hobby. _Furious that he might be less than in control with his feelings, Kaiba shoved the unpleasant idea away. Discipline was the key. Where there's a will, there's a way.

_I can– and I will– overcome this... phase. I will be strong and emotionless._

Unsmilingly, Kaiba linked his fingers and propped his elbows on the desk– his favorite thinking position. Nonetheless, this was food for thought, though rather disturbing.

The new Kaiba Corp. had been built on his unwavering devotion to lead it to success. There was no space for any distractions. A rival company could take over or something. Unless he remained entirely dedicated to his work, his pride and joy would go down the drain.

But how else to fill the gap?

Kaiba stubbornly remained in denial. _Please. I don't have any need for _human_ friends. My brother, my company, my money, and my deck are all I need. Besides, I think this is about enough for one day. _

Now it was time to sleep. There wasn't a need for any pillows, blankets, or anything, so Kaiba merely eased himself into a comfortable position and slipped off. Normally, he didn't dream.

Sleep was, after all, a purely physical need. Dreams were a waste of energy.

He remembered a time when Mokuba wanted the old Seto back and pondered on it for a while. It was impossible. How could he ever go back to being a _nice_ person? It had been ages since he had said a kind word to anyone outside the family.

Besides, Kaiba didn't want to change. _I will not go weak. For my brother's and my sake, I can't afford to._

The phone rang. If Kaiba had been a lesser man, he might have wakened up still groggy, but, of course, he wasn't, so he became alert and business-like instantly. He pushed the button on the machine and said clearly, "What is it?"

At the same time, he noticed from the clock, that it was already five thirty in the morning. A brief glance out the window told him that it was still dark. _This had better be important._

Mr. Kaiba. His secretary, thankfully, was competent. Far from perfect, but at least she arrived on time, didn't leave early, and actually handled his appointments professionally. There's a call from the hospital for you. They say it's about your brother, Mokuba Kaiba. He's been involved in a minor accident. Should I put them on?

_Hospital... Mokuba... _Kaiba stood up in alarm, but sank back down when he realized that worry was not going to help. Instead, his alarm quickly translated into anger. "Are you dense! Relay the call immediately!" He barked.

Really, since Roland went on holiday, there was a serious shortage of good help.

At once, sir. If the secretary was offended, she showed no signs. There was a click and Kaiba picked up the receiver. He was seemingly indifferent except for the slightly shaking of his hands and the way he clutched the phone more tightly than normal.

Is this Mr. Seto Kaiba? A woman's voice, presumably a nurse, asked.

"Yes. What about my brother?" Kaiba was gritting his teeth in impatience. _Damned nurse, tell me about Mokuba now! _Out loud, he asked, "How is he?"

There's no need to worry too much, Mr. Kaiba. With annoyance, he highly suspected that the woman on the other side of the line was smiling. Apparently, last night's storm was surprisingly violent. Your brother was startled by a sudden clap of thunder and fell down the stairs, breaking his leg in the process. Just as a precaution, we still need to examine him for other injuries.

Kaiba let out his breath in relief. So _that_ was it? He shook his head and rubbed his temples. He would have to lecture Mokuba on the virtues of being careful later. Now that he was somewhat less tense, Kaiba's tone actually softened into something civil.

"All right, I'll be over at the hospital right away," Kaiba said, though he continued in his regular less-than-friendly voice. "Your hospital better not mess anything up, or I swear that I'll sue."


	2. The sparks fly

Many thanks to my five reviewers! Frankly, I'm not too fond of this story, but I'm _trying_ hard to make it better.

Surfing around earlier on, I came across a Seto x Téa fic called 'Hospital Love' (which, I might add is a highly successful story). This is a matter of concern since my plot also has Téa working at the hospital. However, that is about the only similarity, and I assure all readers who are concerned that this was written _without _prior knowledge.

So, please go on to this one's humble fic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Gi Oh. **Resemblance to any other fanfic is purely coincidental.**

* * *

Téa was unusually gloomy, her mood matching the weather. "Why the long face, Téa?" Her friend, a pretty blond young woman, asked her.

"Jen..." She looked mournfully at the other girl, as if looking for sympathy. "You _know_ I don't like this job." The job, more specially, was an internship so it wasn't like she was being paid in the first place.

"I think you're lucky to have gotten this career opportunity." Jen, who personally loved being a nurse, couldn't quite understand why anyone wouldn't want it. "When I wanted to be an intern at the Domino Hospital a few years ago, I was so disappointed when they rejected me!"

Téa made a face. She shifted restlessly. "It's not for everyone. Not for me, at least."

"Really? Doesn't every girl want to be a nurse?" Jen sounded surprised as she sorted some papers at the reception desk.

Sitting beside her more experienced friend, Téa propped her head on her elbow, thoroughly bored. Hearing Jen's comment, she immediately replied, "Huh? No! They just like the uniform!"

Jen smiled, "I can understand why." Téa grudgingly admitted that it _was_ nice. If you liked white dresses, white shoes, _and_ white hats, that is. Too bad she happened to prefer colors.

_It's all Dad's fault! _Téa grumbled mentally. _Why did he sign me up when I _told_ him I wasn't interested? I clearly said, 'Dad, I'm going to join a new dancing workshop this summer so I won't have time for that internship that you wanted me to take.' But did he listen? Noooo..._

Sure, Mr. Gardner was a notable doctor and wanted his only daughter to follow in his footsteps. Dancing obviously wasn't his idea of an ideal job. 'How much money can you make? It's time you grew up and started thinking about a _real_ job.' That's what he always said.

And that was why instead of joining the class, she was stuck being a receptionist at the town's public hospital.

_I really resent this... _She thought grimly. Why the morning shift too?_ Remember, it's only for another month... One more month..._

Téa was afraid that spending hours at a stretch in this building would cause her to do something crazy. Maybe she would suddenly start dancing around the nicely polished floors or something equally mad. Then they'll send her to the mental institution.

_Happy thoughts... Happy thoughts! _She coaxed herself. Still, it was hardly cheery to see injured person after injured person pass through the entrance. Luckily, she wasn't experienced enough to actually deal with patients... yet.

At this point someone came through the glass sliding doors, closed her umbrella and started towards the desk still dripping from the storm outside. There had been such terrible weather for the past two weeks that it wasn't safe going anywhere without a shelter.

Now, Jen took charge, leaving Téa to watch how a receptionist was supposed to act.

"Hello, I'm here to see my husband." The woman said politely, despite her worried expression. "May I know which room he's in?"

"Of course. What's his name?" And so went the conversation. Téa tuned them off after a while. She really didn't mean to, it was just that she had no interest whatsoever in pursuing this sort of career. After a few minutes of tapping her foot, she pulled out a book from underneath the desk.

When Jen looked at it questioningly with a raised eyebrow, Téa said sheepishly, "Sorry, but it's my summer reading assignment. I'm useless here anyway."

Jen didn't know if it was better to agree or disagree. She decided to just give the go-ahead. "All right then, I'll manage things."

Finding her place in the moderately thick volume, Téa started reading.

Unexpectedly, she actually got into the novel and was oblivious when Jen said that she needed to go to the bathroom, mumbling an distracted 'uh huh'. She also didn't notice when the doors slid open again, until the person was practically in front of her.

"_Ahem_." Kaiba cleared his throat loudly to catch the attention of the nurse who was so engrossed in her book that she paid no heed to him. And he thought _his_ receptionist was incompetent at times...

Téa's head jerked up and she almost gasped in shock when she realized that she was staring right into the face of Seto Kaiba. _What's he doing here? At six thirty in the morning? _She thought wildly.

Another glance at the unexpected visitor told her that something was off. Oh that's right. Unlike the others, he was completely dry. Then she noticed behind the CEO was a man in a black suit. It had probably been neat and tidy before, but now, it was soaking wet.

From the umbrella that the lackey was shaking off, Téa could only assume that he had been the one holding it while standing in the rain. No wonder Kaiba could still look so unruffled. _Glad to know _he_ hasn't changed... _

And just where was Jen? She knew that she couldn't deal with a tough customer like Kaiba. Do something wrong and he'd chew her head off. Thinking hard, Téa vaguely recalled Jen leaving. Who knew when she'd return from the bathroom?

_Uh oh. _Téa realized with a sinking feeling in her stomach. _It's just me and...Kaiba_... ... _Oh darn._

Now he was looking expectantly at her. Curse her tongue! It wouldn't move! _It's all right, Téa, _She instructed herself. _Breath._ _Act _professional_. Ask him what he wants. It's just like Burger World, except without the food._

"C-can I help you?" She asked, voice sounding a little like a squeak. Had she mentioned that Kaiba was particularly intimidating without her friends with her? Téa was so disconcerted that she nearly added, "Would you like fries with that?" Good thing she caught herself before it was too late.

_Don't ask me anything, I don't know what to do! _She really wasn't exaggerating.

Kaiba wasn't making it easy for her. "I don't know why you're playing nurse, Gardner, and neither do I care," he said plainly. He was always known for speaking his mind, pleasant or otherwise, though in this case, he _was_ wondering just what Téa Gardner was doing behind the desk.

Kaiba had been more than a little shocked when she had lifted her head, allowing him to recognize her. They _always_ turned up in the strangest places... "Just cut the pleasantries that you're so fond of and give me the room number for Mokuba Kaiba."

Téa forgot to be insulted. "What? Mokuba's here? Why?" While the older Kaiba was plain mean, the younger one was actually a decent kid.

"It's none of your business," he said icily. Kaiba wondered how many more times he would have to tell Yugi's pep squad to butt out of his family issues before they got the message. Probably never, considering he had been doing so for the past few years and had so far received no results.

He tapped his fingers impatiently on the desk and glared down at her. "Are you going to tell me or do I have to make a complaint first?"

"Oh, right..." Téa mumbled. Looks like it was inevitable. Appearing dumb in front of Kaiba would probably only lower his opinion of her ever further. Like it hadn't already hit rock bottom.

_How_ _do you work this program_? She fiddled nervously with the computer. _It should be easy, right? Just type in Mokuba under Patient First Name, and Kaiba under the last name._

Wasn't there something that she had forgotten?

"Right, I uh also need identification, just to make sure that you're really related to the patient." Téa knocked herself mentally for asking the obvious. But it was already out of her mouth...

Kaiba gave her a look of disbelief. Related?

Unless they were talking about a different Mokuba Kaiba here, or Téa Gardner was a complete moron, there shouldn't be a need for such a ridiculous request. If they kept him from making sure that Mokuba was all right for much longer... He was just about out of patience.

He took a calming breath before saying, "I assure you that I _am _Seto Kaiba, Mokuba's _brother_, though your empty cheerleader head probably cannot recall past events. Why would I need _identification_?"

There was something about his tone that Téa _really_ didn't like. That was the last straw. How dare he insult her intelligence! So maybe she wasn't the straight A student, but she was hardly shabby either!

"Hey! Don't use that tone on me! I _know_ who you are, but it's standard regulations!" Téa slammed her palms into the wooden desk. She scowled in frustration, of all the people... Why him? "Pick up a few manners when you can, it'll do you _good_!"

_That felt quite relieving._ Téa thought with satisfaction. She had always thought that he needed a good telling-off every once in a while, but nothing ever seemed to deflate that ego of his!

Kaiba was taken aback, mainly because he had forgotten what it was like for someone to yell at him like that. Sure, people made threats all the time, but never like this. What was wrong with this girl? Anger management issues, obviously.

"Is this how you normally behave? No wait, I already know. It is." He smirked at her in his smug manner. "If you were working for me, I would have fired you. As it is, I'm surprised you even got hired at all."

"Why would I want to work for _you_? And, for your information, I don't even _care_ about this job!" She nearly shouted. Several heads turned in their direction, astonished by the nurse who had just declared that she disliked working as one.

_Oops... Maybe that went a bit too far? _Téa sunk back into her seat slowly. Why did people have to stare at her so? Great, _now_ she thoroughly embarrassed by her violent outburst. Reprimanding him had been a lot easier when there weren't any curious spectators around.

Téa was tempted to duck down and melt into the floor. But no, Kaiba would probably just step on her and _then_ tell on her.

Thankfully, Jen returned to save the day. The woman must have had sensed danger brewing. Téa breathed easier as she saw the welcome sight. _You're an angel, Jen! _She thought gratefully.

"Mr. Kaiba." Jen acknowledged, taking her position behind the desk. "You'll want the number of your brother's room, I presume?"

Kaiba nodded curtly, while giving Téa a look that clearly said 'At least _someone_ around here is smart enough to get things done.' She thought that he'd never leave. Her face was still burning from the humiliation.

Finally, the horrible man started to leave with a swish of his white trench coat. He scrutinized Téa and said in an annoying 'I'm superior' voice, "I won't be leaving Mokuba here for long. He might catch something... like stupidity." He glared pointedly at Téa.

Ouch. Publicly insulted... _I deserved it. _Téa thought miserably. _I seriously need to control myself better. _She turned to Jen, and apologized profusely as she bowed her head, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know what I was doing, I didn't mean it, really!"

"I'm _sure_ you didn't. It's only surprising how much you dislike this internship. I think the whole waiting room heard you." Jen shook her head and laughed suddenly.

"What's so funny?"

Jen hid her smile behind her hand. "Sorry, but I liked the way you handled him. It really does make the day more interesting. It _was_ funny."

Yeah, like one of those drama shows with slapping and crying. Somehow it was far more amusing on television. Téa's voice was sour. "I'll probably be hearing from his lawyer now..."

"To be fair, Mr. Kaiba _does_ seem to be particularly nasty to you." Jen said reflectively. "Did you antagonize him in the past?"

"It's a long story." It was true. Kaiba, Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and herself did go way back.

"I don't get it, I was never mean to him..." Tea trailed off. Okay, so maybe there had been conflicts over 'friendship' stuff, but it wasn't enough to make him comment on her 'empty cheerleader head'. That was an uncalled for stereotype!

She couldn't believe that Kaiba wasn't willing to start over with a clean slate. At the rate he was going, he would be friendless the rest of his life, not to mention having lines of enemies waiting to get him back. The worst of it was that he wasn't doing anything about it!

"He's probably just worried about his brother."

Right, Mokuba! "What happened anyway?" Téa asked, feeling somewhat better.

"Broken leg."

"Oh... Poor Mokuba," Téa lamented sincerely. He still was her friend, and it was her duty to see him at least once. Besides, there really wasn't a good enough reason to ignore him, considering that he was in this very hospital.

Actually, she could think of one very good one, but it was easily averted. "I'll go visit him next time, when _that_ one isn't there." Of course, she was referencing his disagreeable older brother.

"Interesting connections you have," Jen said with a sigh. "You must tell me all about your adventures. I'm sure they're very eventful."

"You bet," Téa agreed. 'Eventful' was a _major_ understatement. Evil beings, Egyptian Gods, real live duel monsters, the Shadow Realm... Those were just part of her life.

Still, there was something far more puzzling. "I really don't see how two brothers can be so different!" There had to be warmth in Seto Kaiba that extended beyond his brother; Téa absolutely refused to believe that someone could be as cold as he appeared to be.

* * *

When Téa went to Yugi's house later that day, she was in better spirits. She was eager to see her friend, who though was small in size, had a big heart. Apart from telling him about Mokuba, Téa also wanted to check on his current status.

Yugi was strong, but who knew how he was holding up without Yami.

All of them felt that loss– a gap in themselves that had once been filled by the pharaoh. Somehow, no matter how bad the odds, he had always come through for them.

All that time they spent trying to unlock his lost memories did pay off, but... Téa had always suspected that someday he would have to leave. Still, it didn't make it hurt any less when he finally did.

Having just lost his closest friend, even the strongest person would be deeply affected. Téa knew that supporting Yugi at this point was critical. Every smile coming from him was forced. It would take time for things to go back to the way they were before everything had happened, if it were even possible at all.

Deep down, Téa missed Yami terribly too. It was so hard to believe that he was gone just like that. While Yugi had been her friend, his darker side was... well, something else.

But missing him didn't change things. The pharaoh was gone, and the millennium puzzle was empty. Emptiness... That feeling of emptiness wasn't a sharp pain, but a dull ache that faded slowly.

"Yugi?" Téa asked as she stepped cautiously into his room. His grandpa told her that it was fine to go in, but she wasn't so sure. It looked like Yugi was having a moment to himself as he sat on his bed. His deck of dueling cards sat neatly on his desk.

Yugi wasn't even looking at it. Instead, he was holding several compact discs in his hands. The strange thing was that he was just staring at them blankly.

Definitely not normal behavior.

After waiting for a minute or two Téa realized that Yugi hadn't noticed her. Wow, he was more out of it than she had thought... Walking right in front of him, she shook him lightly on the shoulder. "Yugi," she said gently.

Now he lifted his head and smiled slightly. His wide eyes were unfocused, and he said in a rather dazed voice, "Oh, Téa, I didn't know you were here. Sorry." He looked at the CDs again.

"Nah, it's okay," Téa said shaking her head. "But what _are_ you doing? Aren't you supposed to be _listening_ to the music instead of just staring at the discs?"

"I... don't really feel like it. I just remembered how Yami liked this one-" Yugi said, holding the CD out to Téa. "And this one." He passed the other over as well. He smiled faintly, "Sometimes I would catch him listening to them at night instead of resting."

Téa sat down beside Yugi. It was rather sad the way they all just beat around the bush, talking about things that _he_ used to do, but never about their own feelings. Were they scared that it would spoil their moods to talk about it?

Well, no more. "I know, I miss him too..." she said softly.

Yugi didn't react. Finally, he said, "I'm really sorry to be such a downer, Téa, but everything here, everywhere I go, I think of Yami." Yugi was miserable, eyes duller than usual. "But he's probably in a better place now."

"I'm sure of it! We want the best for him, right?" Tea said, jumping up as she hoped to find some way of getting Yugi's life back. The way he was acting now was as though he were about to die. "Come on, guess who I met at my job?"

"Who? The Spirit of the Millennium Ring!"

Téa frowned. "I said guess, not think up crazy scenarios."

Yugi stared for a moment before chuckling. "Oh, heh heh. Let me try again!" He thought for a while before saying, "Umm... I know! Kaiba."

"How did you know?" Téa said, both amazed and disappointed. "You weren't supposed to guess right..."

Yugi shrugged with a blank look, as though he was equally confused. "I had a feeling. So, what was Kaiba doing at the hospital? He isn't injured is he?" That was Yugi for you, always concerned about anybody and everybody.

Téa made a face. "Nope, definitely not injured, but he was there to see Mokuba. He has a broken leg and a few bruises but nothing serious. Do you want to go visit him? I'm going when Kaiba isn't there, so probably later this afternoon or tomorrow."

"Maybe, but grandpa asked me to help take over the store while he's out. It's some game convention and he hopes to scout out new merchandise. I'm not sure if I'll have the time."

"Okay then." Téa looked out the small window. As always, it had started to rain heavily again. "What's up with all these sudden storms? You don't think it could be another sort of magic, do you Yugi?"

Yugi's eyes brightened. Then he remembered that any form of magic this powerful wouldn't exactly be a good thing. "No, it's probably just the rainy season."

He sighed and fell back on his bed. "You know, Téa, it's funny how everything has calmed down. You would've thought that I'd be content, but now I half wish that there'd be more adventures to go on."

Yugi gave a little half-smile and Téa could tell that he was in the world of his memories. "It'll be great if it could be like last time when it was you, me, Yami, Joey, Tristan, and the rest of our friends all saving the world together. Is it crazy to say that itwas at leastjust a little _fun_?"


End file.
